Norman Osborn made The Hobgoblin by supplying an ambitions hood with weapons. In the comics, the man who became the original Hobgoblin found weapons made by Norman Osborn in one of his storage spaces made for to keep his weapons and costume to become the Green Goblin. In the comics, Green Goblin was introduced first in 1964, nearly 19 years before the Hobgoblin first appeared in 1983.
Spiderman says "I know that laugh anywhere," and then he says "Different wing, same jerk." This was a reference to the fact that Mark Hamill also played Joker in "Batman: The Animated series(1992)," at the same time. There was no doubt they wanted children to recognize that the same actor played both roles, so that The Hobgoblin could enjoy the same success as The Joker.
Harry Osborn asking Peter Parker to become his roommate in a place paid for by his father, Norman Osborn, is adapted from "The Amazing Spider-Man" (Vol. 1) #46.
Showrunner, John Semper, who hated the character, has stated he was forced to include the Hobgoblin due to previous toy contracts set up by his predecessor.
Mark Hamill would later go on to voice Nightmare and Anim Zola in "Ultimate Spider-Man (2012-2017)".